The Stonekeeper...

23

Your P.O.V
The voice grabbed Max by the neck and lifted him up off the ground. "Did you expect to simply walk into my house and swwel me out?" The voice asked Max. "We're stronger than you." Max replied. "Not here my friend. Not in my home. You've been a good helper, but I think it is time to move on.." the voice says. "Put him down!" Emily yelled out. "He is a cancer to us all, Emily." The voice replied.  I said put him down." Emily repeated. "As you wish." The vouce dropped Max and he groaned. "You want to bs rid of me...but it is my curse that keeps you alive." The voice said to Max. "Do you have any idea who you're dealing with? Tje elf king is not someone you should take lightly. And for that matter, neither am I. I gave you a chance to have your revenge. With this chance, you killed countless soldiers and civilians. Has it brought you the solace you seek? Has it brought you peace? The voice asksd Max.

"Most of the young soldiers had no idea what their ancestors were guilty of doing." Max replied. "And yet you punished them dearly. You showed no mercy in your actions. Time can heal many wounds, Max. Unless you work to disallow it." The vouce said. "Why would I do that?" Max asked. "Because there are some memories you refuse to put away." I looked to the side and saw a elf girl with pug tails in her hair. "Max." She said. "Oh no..." I mumbled. "Layra?" Max turned around and saw his best friend. "We never asked this of you. Please stop." Layra said. "Layra, I wish you were here to see what I've done. I made them pay. I made them suffer for what they did to you and your family." Max said. "Why?" Layra asked. "I did it...I did it for you." Max replied, tearing up. Trellis hugged me and I watched the best friends talk. "No, Max. You did it for you." Layra replied. "Come on, it's time to go." Layra's father said. "Wait! Layra, wait!" Max yelled out to her. "I already waited. But it seems I shouldn't have. Goodbye, Max." Layra said and vanished.

"Layra! Don't leave.." Max said and fell to his knees. "Max, walk away from this." Emily said. "Emily. I should of died a long time ago." Max replied. "He's right, Emily. Let this one go." Vigo said to her. "Y/n was able to save Trellis. We can save Max!" Emily said. "No, Emily. It's too late. Unlike Trellis, Max is already gone." I explained. "Just do it now! I'm ready to go!" Max yelled out in tears. "As you wish." The voice replied and Max started to rot and turn to bone. "So...is this it?" Max asked. "In a moment you will return to your natural state. You are going to appear as you would had I not intervened to prolong your life. If you have any last words I suggest you say them now." The voice replied.

I looked away and burried my face in Trellis's chest. Emily ran over to Max and yelled at him. "What? What did you say?" Emily asked. "Algos island. For Trellis. Find Algos island." Max said. Trellis and I knelt down infront of him. "What's on the island?" Trellis asked. "Forgive them. Forgive your people. Rhey didn't know." Max said. "What didn't they know?" Trellis asked. "That you are the king." Max replied and was gone. We stood up and Trellis hugged me again. All was left of him was his skeleton and clothes. "Despite his shortcomings, Max was a good helper. But his loss is your gain, my friends. The voice said. "We're not your servants. And we are definitely not your friends." Emily replied to the voice. "Look out!" Vigo yelled out and a statue fell down.

"The ship you boarded was kept afloat by Max's considerable powers. With him gone, the ship will fall. I have done what I can to keep the ship from crashing, but I can't hold it for long." The vouce explains. "Why help us?" I asked. "I like to take care of my investments. Now go. Stay alive." The vouce replied. We activated our stones and we were off. We woke up in the room where we started out. Trellis stood up and gave me a hand. I saw Max is stone and I felt bad for him. The place started to crumble. "We need to find the escape pod." Vigo said. "Go one without me. I have to stay behind and help my people. And you must stay alive to help yours." Trellis said. "What makes you not my people?" I asked him. "You know what I mean, Y/n." Trellis replied. "Do you have a plan?" I asked. "If I group the elves into the landing bay, I might be able to shield them all from the impact. I've done it once before." Trellis replied.

"But that was just the four of us! The energy required to do this will kill you!" I said to Trellis. "She's right, Trellis. It's going to require the power of all four of our stones. Bur the epves out there still see us as the enemy. Even with four stonekeepers, how do we get them to listen to us?" Vigo asked. I noticed Max's stone head on the ground and had an idea. "Oh no. Y/n has an idea." Emily joked. "No time to joke around. Besides, when was my plans ever failed?" I asked Emily. "So many times." She replied. I rolled my eyes and picked up the stone head. "We do it by getting some help from a fifth." I replied to Vigo's question. "Y/n! You're a genius!" Trellis said and I gave the stone head to him. We walked out of the room and onto a balcony that viewed the entire landing bay. The elf army asked a few questions and yelled at us. "Take a good look! Your false prince is dead!!! Max Griffin, just like your false king...has been nothing more than a ghost." Trellis announced.

"Y/n...can you help me?" Trellis whispered to me. I nod and took a breathe. "If you wish to live and help restore order to your kingdom...then stay here and follow your prince!!" I sai to the elves. "If we stay here, we're going to die! Everyone, to the escape pods!" An elf said. "But we only have one on board this ship, sir." Another elf replied. "Then it's mine!! Everyone for themselves!" The first elf said. The elf ran off tk the escape pods. I sigh and another elf ran off. "If you believe that, then go." Trellis said. "We'll stay with you, Prince Trellis...but how will we survive?" An elf ask us. "Are you ready?" I asked Emily and Vigo. "Let's go." Emily replied and we jumped off the balcony. We focused our energy to make a shield around us and the elf army. The ship was about to explode and take us out. "Everybody hold on!!" I yelled out and grabbed Trellis's and Emily's hand. We started to fall and we crashed into the ground. I sat down and felt a little weak. Trellis walked over and helped me up. "You alright? You look like you ran a few miles." Trellis said. "Yeah. I'm okay. Just..just a little puffed out and weak is all." I replied to Trellis. He smiled and we helped the elves. I noticed Trellis trying to help an elf but was struggling. I wrapped the injured elf's other arm around my shoulders and saw a female elf run down the hill.

"These elves need medical attention. You look like a medic. Can you help treatthe injured?" Trellis asked. "Actually, I'm not a medic. I'm a mayor." She replied. "A mayor?" I asked. "It's a long story...wait you look like Navin." She said. "Is he alright?" I asked. "He bought us time to escape Lucien. I don't know if he's okey or not." She replied. "It's alright. My brother is not going to give up that easily. I'm Y/n." I said. "My name is Riva." She replied. "Well, Mayor, we have a lot of injured on the ground. We can use some help down here." Trellis said. "I'll get people here immediately, your highness." Riva replied. "Highness?" Trellis asked. "That suits you, Trellis." I said to him. "You are the prince. Are you not?" Riva asked. "Please, just call me Trellis." He said. "Ahoy down there!" Someone called out. "I know who that is." I said. "Everybody looks okay! It's an absolute miracle!" Dr Weston said. "Hello Dr Weston!" I said and Emily hugged him. "Hello to you too, Y/n." Dr Weston replied.

A while later, one of the command ships came and collected everyone onto the ship. We met up with Enzo and Rico at the Luna moth. "It's nice to see you folks again! I bet Rico fifty lugs that you would pull theough, so thanks." Enzo said. "Enzo!" Rico said. "Gentlemen." Vigo greeted. "Get the Luna moth ready to go, Enzo. We're going to continue our mission without any of our overseers." I said and walked past them. "We take control now." I said. "Now that's what I like to hear! We're getting paid for this, right?" Enzo asked. I shook my head and boarded the Luna moth with the others. 'We're in control now.'